Lindsey Graham

Biography

Overview

Lindsey Graham is the senior US Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he is a lawyer and former Air Force officer who served in the South Carolina House (1993-1995) and U.S. House (1995-2003) before his Senate career. He is a neoconservative known for supporting interventionist foreign policy and has shown willingness to work with Democrats on certain issues including judicial nominations and immigration reform.

Career

Graham was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, defeating Democratic nominee Alex Sanders with 54% to 44%. He was reelected in 2008 (57.5% general election), 2014 (54% general election), and 2020 (54.4% general election). As a House member, he participated in President Clinton's 1998 impeachment inquiry and served as an impeachment manager. In the Senate, he chaired the Judiciary Committee from 2019-2021 and currently chairs the Budget Committee. His notable military service included Air Force legal roles in Europe and Iraq/Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star in 2014. He is running for reelection in 2026.

Prior political experience

Graham was first elected to the South Carolina House in 1992, defeating Democrat Lowell W. Ross 60% to 40%. He was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 with 60% of the vote, reelected in 1996 (60%), 1998 (unopposed), and 2000 (68% to 30%). In his first Senate race in 2002, he won the Republican primary unopposed and defeated Democrat Alex Sanders 54% to 44% in the general election. He was reelected to the Senate in 2008 (57.5% general election margin over Bob Conley), 2014 (54% over Brad Hutto), and 2020 (54.4% over Jaime Harrison). He announced his 2026 reelection campaign in January 2025 with Trump's endorsement reported in March 2025.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal

Conservative

119th Congress+0.367

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1

+1

-0.269

Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 633 scored votes

Campaigns targeting Lindsey Graham

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Officeholding history

Term	Seat	Term dates	Termination	Predecessor	Successor
4th	U.S. Senate SC Class 2	2021–present	In progress	Lindsey Graham	—
3rd	U.S. Senate SC Class 2	2015–2021	Term ended	Lindsey Graham	Lindsey Graham
2nd	U.S. Senate SC Class 2	2009–2015	Term ended	Lindsey Graham	Lindsey Graham
1st	U.S. Senate SC Class 2	2003–2009	Term ended	—	Lindsey Graham
4th	U.S. House SC-3	2001–2003	Term ended	Lindsey Graham	Sheri Biggs
3rd	U.S. House SC-3	1999–2001	Term ended	Lindsey Graham	Lindsey Graham
2nd	U.S. House SC-3	1997–1999	Term ended	Lindsey Graham	Lindsey Graham
1st	U.S. House SC-3	1995–1997	Term ended	—	Lindsey Graham

Committee assignments

Senate Committee on the Budget
SenateChairman· 2021–present
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
SenateChairman· 2021–present
Privacy, Technology, and the Law
Senate· 2021–present
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Senate· 2021–present
Crime and Counterterrorism
Senate· 2021–present
Border Security and Immigration
Senate· 2021–present
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
Senate· 2021–present
Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights
Senate· 2021–present
Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight
Senate· 2021–present
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Senate· 2021–present
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Senate· 2021–present
Energy and Water Development
Senate· 2021–present
Department of Defense
Senate· 2021–present
Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety
Senate· 2021–present
Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate· 2021–present
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Senate· 2021–present
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Senate· 2021–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term6

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

Year	Seat	Result	Vote share	Field
—	—	Pending	—	—